Total amateur

Yes.. I am a complete beginner at playing bass. I bought 2 basses because I don't get out much and bought them off the net(confined to house due to health reasons, so I could not get to a music shop to tst them). I have a DeArmond Pilot Deluxe and a Washburn xb-900. Now that I am reading all of the polls and opinions here, I am considering selling them both and just getting one bass that will do all I want it to(as if I would know what that is at this point). Should I sell them both and get a MIA Fender Precision Deluxe or Jazz Deluxe? And if the answer is yes.... which of those 2 should I get? I have smaller hands, so I need a neck that will do well for them. I hear the Precision Deluxe is VERY versatile.

If you're truly brand new to bass, I'd keep ONE of the basses you bought, sell the other, and start learning to play before you worry about what kind of gear you may or may not need. Just my $.02, of course...

I agree with you actually in a way... and I am sure most people would. But I have heard so many good things about MIA Fenders.... and I love the look of the Jazz bass. If I sold both of these others I would have about enough to get either the Jazz or the Precision Fender MIA... and everybody raves about their sound.

The DeArmond is an excellent bass, so I would keep it unless I really didn't like it. I can't make a comment on the Washburn, but I've never really liked Washburn's bass designs.

If you buy a Fender you will definatley be getting a great bass, but the question is, what kind of sound are you looking for. Do you want a more traditional, natural sound, or a HIFI modern sound. If you want the traditional sound and Fender is the way to go. If you like a HIFI sound, there are a lot of basses to choose. Still, if you are a beginner, a Fender is a good starting place. The Deluxe has two Pu's so it will be versatile. But the Jazz has more of a funky tone.

The Jazz Deluxe I saw also had 2 J pickups... I guess I would want whichever one would give me a wider range of sounds overall... I like all sorts of music from Jazz to funk to Punk to pop. Keep in mind my small hands. I have not had the opportunity to play them to feel them out. And I actually do like the DeArmond's feel as well.

Originally posted by lakerkobe I agree with you actually in a way... and I am sure most people would. But I have heard so many good things about MIA Fenders.... and I love the look of the Jazz bass. If I sold both of these others I would have about enough to get either the Jazz or the Precision Fender MIA... and everybody raves about their sound.

BUT, if you don't know what you're looking for -- or what you're missing -- then it shouldn't matter too much what you're playing on as a beginner. When/if you find that the instrument you're playing is an impediment to progress, then you should think about upgrading.

ON THE OTHER HAND, a player at any level can do a lot worse than a MIA Fender Jazz or Precision. At the very least, an MIA will probably have decent resale value if you take care of it (whereas a Pilot or Washburn may not).

BUT, Fenders do have an awful lot of shortcomings, despite the fact that they have classic designs and sounds and are something of an industry standard.

ON THE OTHER HAND...

Oh, hell. This could go on all day. Just follow your gut, and play the hell out of whatever you settle on. Good luck!

Well I got to the music shop regardless of my ailment... and I checked them out. I am in love with the jazz deluxe. That thing is awesome. Good feel to it and I love the looks. Bummer that they would not match the price that I found it online.

Well, if it's on any type of Ash wood, it'll actually look not bad. But of course this is just my opinion, I dono't mind the color of my bass, as long as she plays good and sounds good. And if you don't like it, there's always the route of having it re-finished..

Originally posted by CS You'd better check that bass. You mentioned MIA but I it's possible that its a MIM at that price.

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I'm pretty sure that they pay stateside in dollars what we pay in pounds over here for Fenders!!!! At $700, it's probably an MIA he's looking at ! My Jazz Fretless MIM was £379 over here which is about $530 in USD.